Day 31!

I started off my morning by receiving fresh laundry after breakfast! I quickly packed up my backpack and went to check out of the Seaside Bungalow hostel which has treated me exceptionally well!

I ended up spending just under 800,000 Dong during my 4 nights there which is around $30.

This hostel was worth every penny! I met some people I’ll consider friends for life and the vibes of this place were top notch.

The siblings running the hostel, T & V, were so nice and helpful! They knew everyone by name and made a point of asking how you were doing and chatting with you throughout the day. V even gave me a hug on my way out!

I said my goodbyes to my new friends and this honestly was the first hostel I’ve left feeling sad to leave.

I can’t wait to hang out with these people in the future and I am looking forward to who I run into down the road!

With that I stopped at a gas station to top off and set my gps to the Hai Van Pass!

The Hai Van Pass is a very popular road that is to the north of Hoi An. Its winding roads through the mountains leads to some spectacular views on a clear day!

The Pass was popularized by the show Top Gear which also is the reason motor biking Vietnam is such a popular way to travel the country!

On the way, while riding down the beach, I saw a beautiful lady Buddha peaking out of the mountains! I had heard of this one but since I had just seen one in Dalat I decided to pass going there for now (maybe next time I’m in Hoi An)!

While riding I met a fellow bike packer, Turo from Hungary, and then ended up losing him fairly quickly (but don’t worry, he’ll be back). After around an hour ride I made it to the first overlook of the Hai Van Pass!

While at the overlook I met some travelers from the UK, Rob, Josh, and Anna, who took this picture for me! I’m sure the view on a perfectly clear day is even more incredible, but I can’t complain at all!

I decided to join the three other bikers for a bit and we set off to the next viewpoint!

Almost everyone on this road was there to see the views. There were a few busses and trucks but mainly it was just bikers which makes the roads very easy to ride! I’d highly suggest this ride to even a beginner as empty roads are a great way to hone your skills on a bike!

At the next stop I parted ways with the three bikers because I wanted to go explore a side route. Luckily I ran into Turo again and he was wanting to go explore it too! So we set off down a small road towards a secluded beach!

This path was very downhill, very small, and a very winding road. It made for a fun adventure, especially as we came upon some grazing goats, but ultimately we came to a dead end…

It was around a 1 kilometer walk to the beach so we decided to cut our loses and turn around.

But with good timing on our side we ran into some lost tourists needing some navigation assistance.

Funnily enough they were from Chicago! They were looking for a train bridge that is a popular destination for pictures but Google was sending them in the wrong direction. So with our good cell service we scanned a few blogs to help them out!

Turo and I ended up riding together for the rest of the Hai Van Pass until we reached the next town where we got some street food for lunch!

We both got a mouth wateringly good fried noodles with seafood that was only 50,000 Dong ($2)!

While we were chatting about our lives (since we really didn’t know each other) a curious local came over and started chatting with us.

His names Kelly and he was on his way to the Hai Van Pass to sell his postcards that he makes! He also had a money collection that he was very excited to show us and he was missing Thai and US dollars so I lended him a hand and gave him a 20 Baht and a $5 bill (unfortunately my lowest bill haha).

Before we left we went to the restroom which ended up being in the owners backyard which I thought made for a fun experience. And one I wouldn’t have experienced if I wasn’t biking!

Turo wanted to go see a monastery before heading to Hué but I wasn’t feeling 100% so we parted ways after lunch!

I’m not sure why I’m feeling under the weather but I have a sore throat and hopefully some rest in Hué for a few days will kick it before I set out for Khe Sanh and the infamous ride from there to Phong Nha (which you’ll learn more about in a few posts I assume).

Still smiling even though I wasn’t feeling 100% I snagged one last fill up before making my way to Hué!

Instead of taking the quick route on the highway, I saw another blog suggest taking the coastal road all the way to Hué! I thought this was a great idea (Google maps insisted it wasn’t) and went on a gorgeous ride!

With 30 minutes left of the ride my butt was starting to ache from all the on and off again riding. On top of that exhaustion was setting in from lack of sleep the past few days and whatever bug I have so I found a quiet spot to sit for a bit before heading on the last leg of the ride!

On this part of the drive I was winding through small towns and forests and then stumbled upon an insanely large graveyard with ornate tombs.

I also passed by a funeral service and it was a spectacle to briefly see!

After a long day of riding and amazing views I finally made it to my hostel, Hue Melody Hostel, where after getting my bed I promptly passed out for an hour and a half!

I guess I should add, I didn’t book my hostel until I arrived in the city and I think I found a winner for the next few days.

It always leads to an interesting experience when you don’t know where you’re staying. But it adds to the fun of the adventure!

After a nice nap I met a couple people from my dorm room, one from Germany and one from Ireland!

The street outside our hostel turns into a walking street at night on the weekends! So we set out to find dinner.

It took us a bit of walking, but we found a cheap restaurant and I ended up getting Com Ga (chicken and rice).

With a cheap meal comes cheap meat so there were a lot of bones in it. But I was surrounded by good company which made it another nice meal with new people!

We were all in the mood for something sweet so we meandered our way to a nearby continence store and got some snacks.

I ended up snacking and walking around a bit more and then headed back to the hostel for an early night!

I’m hoping after a few nights of good sleep I’ll be back up to speed and ready for some more rides.

But for now, it’s rest and reflection time! I had an absolute blast in Hoi An and I can’t wait to go back. I made some great friends and memories and now it’s time to go on and make more!

– Elie